Protection tag seal



June 24, 1941. CANTER 2,246,572

PROTECTION TAG SEAL Filed April 19, 1940 4 INVENTOR.

ATTOEZVEY;

Patented June 24, 1941 OFFICE 2,246,572 PROTECTION TAG SEAL Morris Canter, New York, N. Y. Application m1 19,1940, Serial No. 330,453

3 Claims.

The object of the invention is to provide a protection tag seal which will constitute an improvement over seals of the general kind and particularly the seal of Rubinofi Patent No. 2,186,768. In such patented construction, a single sheet of metal is formed into two box-like sections which are movable into locking engagement, one section being formed with a strap and an adjacent rounded projection, and the other section carrying a prong adapted to pass under the strap, the prong having a socket adapted to receive the projection.

In the operation of the device just described, there is a tendency upon movement of the two seal sections into engagement, for the prong to curl upwardly without adequately securing the socket wall of the prong over upon the projection, and it has been possible topry apart the two sections and straighten bent areas without any tell-tale breakage. By means of the present invention such possibility is eliminated.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a sectional elevation illustrating an embodiment of the invention, the sections being open.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the sections partially moved together.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the sections closed and locked.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 4-4, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5, Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken vertically through closed sections constituting a modification.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the closed structure.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the article comprises a sheet of metal formed into two box-like sections I and 2. The bottom wall of section 2 is formed with transversely extending parallel slits and the metal between the slits is pressed upwardly to form a strap 3 as shown in Figure 4 in full lines and in the preceding figure in transverse section. Adjacent the strap and rearwardly thereof said bottom wall of section 2 is pressed upwardly to form a nipple or detent 4.

Section I at its outer end is formed with a prong 5 adapted to pass under strap 3 of the second section. Prong 5 is formed with a transverse slit and the metal forwardly of the slit is cupped downwardly to form a combined socket and straight-edged detent 6, the function of which will now be described.

When the sections of the seal are in the position of Figure l, the knotted end of a cord loop, which may carry a tag, is placed between the sections in any desired position and the two sections are pressed toward each other. In this operation the curved prong 5 will be brought through the strap and by reason of its curvature it will tend to curl upwardly after its end section passes the strap. When the socket and detent member 6 passes the strap, it will snap against the face of a cam depression 1 formed in section I of the seal and the upwardly projecting straight edge of said member 6 will be opposed by strap 3.

I found when the elements of the seal are in the position of Figure 3 a slight pressure on opposite faces of the seal will effect movement of member 6 into locking engagement with the nipple 4, so that the latter will serve to lock the seal sections together as in the normal functioning of the said Rubinofi structure. In such pressure upon the sections of the seal, cam depression 1 acts as a finger tending to effect interengagement of member 6 and the nipple 4.

When attempt is made to tamper with the seal and open its sections, it will be seen that the passage of the thin blade between the sections at the end thereof nearest the interlocking parts may raise the prong, but the cam depression I will hold the socket and detent member 6 in direct opposition to the strap 3. If an attempt is made to move the socket and detent member downwardly, it will be engaged by nipple 4, and the almost invariable result is that attempts to separate the sections eifect breakage of the strap showing that the seal has been opened.

In the modification of Figure 6, the position of the socket and detent member has been reversed in assuming the form shown in crosssection at 8, Figure 6. In such arrangement the cam depression 7 acts, during the bringing together of the two seal sections, to guide and finally hold in mutual abutment, two straightedged interlocking members, one the member 8 and the second the correspondingly formed inwardly directed detent 9.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A metallic seal comprising a strip of metal bent into two open top box-like sections, each having side and end walls, said sections being connected by a bendable portion of the strip, the

first section near an end thereof being formed with a strap, and the second section having a curved tongue adapted to enter the strap, detent members one carried by the tongue and one adjacent the strap and adapted to interlock when the sections are brought together, and an inwardly directed cam projection formed in the second section and adapted to be engaged by the tongue detent member as the sections are brought together.

2. A metallic seal comprising a strip of metal bent into two open top box-like sections, each having side and end walls, said sections being connected by a bendable portion of the strip, the first section near an end wall thereof being formed with parallel transverse slits the metal between the slits being pressed upwardly to form a strap, and the second section having a curved tongue formed with a socket, the tongue being adapted to enter the strap and said second section having an inwardly directed cam projection adjacent the base of the tongue, and the first section having a nipple adapted to enter the socket of the tongue, the tongue being so related to the cam projection as to carry the upper wall of the socket therein into engagement with the cam projection when the sections are brought together.

3. A metallic seal constructed in accordance with claim 1, in which the detent member carried by the tongue of the second section is a semi-cup having a straight edge colinear with a transverse slit in the tongue, the straight edge of said detent member being directly opposed by the strap when the two sections are brought together and the seal is in closed position.

MORRIS CANTER. 

